Name: Over 1,000 march peacefully in event by Mothers Against Violence in Des Moines
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Over 1,000 march peacefully in event by Mothers Against Violence in Des Moines

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Des Moines RegisterView CommentsA protest march as large as the rally that erupted into violence the night before in Des Moines’ East Village went off smoothly Saturday along East University Avenue.More events are expected Sunday and Monday., the nonprofit&nbsp;Mothers Against Violence emphasized peace in their&nbsp;"We Still Can't Breathe"&nbsp;march early Saturday afternoon."This is supposed to be peaceful,” said the nonprofit group's Sylvia Jefferson. “We’re trying to show that we can support each other.”Jefferson said over 1,000 diverse protesters marched&nbsp;from East 14th Street&nbsp;to Sixth&nbsp;Avenue and back, holding up signs and sounding calls for justice similar to those heard in the previous night's rally. The marchers invoked the memory of, pleading that he couldn't breathe as&nbsp;an officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.Saturday's marchers chanted "We can't breathe," "Say his name," "Hands up, don't shoot" and "black lives matter."Motorists driving&nbsp;by honked their horns in support, and some had taped signs to their cars demanding justice and held their fists out of their windows in solidarity.Many at the march also had attended the protest Friday, and they emphasized&nbsp;the importance of keeping the demand for justice at the forefront.“It’s about continuing to speak truth to power. It is a journey to make social change," said Najee Hull, 31.Demonstrator James Neely said he did not attend the Friday night protest, but was glad Saturday's march did not escalate."It ended in a peaceful manner," Neely said as protesters milled around the Walgreens parking lot where the march&nbsp;concluded.&nbsp;"Nothing broken, nothing destroyed, no one was hurt."MeJa Pinkney, 45, also emphasized the importance of expressing&nbsp;frustration, outrage and anger peacefully."The negativity should come through in a positive way," she said.Dozens of families with young children participated in the march as well, some pulling in wagons or pushing strollers and others holding signs. Leigha Philips, 33, said she left her kids at home, but she hoped her participation would set a good example for them."I want my kids to know how to stand up for something," Philips said.Toward&nbsp;the end of the march, protesters knelt on the University Avenue bridge over the Des Moines River in a moment of silence, fists in the air,&nbsp;in honor of Floyd and others affected&nbsp;by police brutality."Everybody here took a side," said Will Robinson of Project H.O.P.E.&nbsp;"We're standing on the right side.Jeff McMichael, 64, a native Detroiter who has lived on and off in Des Moines for the last 20 years, told the Des Moines Register that what’s happening in Minneapolis reminds him of the 1967 uprising in Detroit and the 1992&nbsp;Rodney King riots&nbsp;in Los Angeles.“I’m standing up,” he said. “I’m just tired of watching our black youth get killed like that.”More:Robinson of Project H.O.P.E. said seeing such a diverse group of marchers was beautiful.“We needed to be heard,” he said.Other planned events in Des Moines:Katie Akin is a retail reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com or at 515-284-8041. Follow her on Twitter at&nbsp;@katie_akin.Andrea Sahouri covers breaking news for the Des Moines Register. She can be contacted at asahouri@registermedia.com, 515-284-8247 or on Twitter at .Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at&nbsp;. View Comments

Des Moines RegisterView CommentsA protest march as large as the rally that erupted into violence the night before in Des Moines’ East Village went off smoothly Saturday along East University Avenue.More events are expected Sunday and Monday., the nonprofit&nbsp;Mothers Against Violence emphasized peace in their&nbsp;"We Still Can't Breathe"&nbsp;march early Saturday afternoon."This is supposed to be peaceful,” said the nonprofit group's Sylvia Jefferson. “We’re trying to show that we can support each other.”Jefferson said over 1,000 diverse protesters marched&nbsp;from East 14th...

Over 1,000 march peacefully in event by Mothers Against Violence in Des Moines

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